Bicycle marathon in Gaza demands end to Israeli-imposed siege

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- A bicycle marathon set off on Friday from the central Gaza Strip to the Erez crossing between the besieged enclave and Israel demanding an end to the near decade-long siege.

The marathon, which was organized by the group Youth for Gaza, started at 6 a.m. as dozens of youths gathered at the al-Samer crossroads in Gaza City before setting off down the streets, waving Palestinian flags until they reached the Erez crossing.

Participants of the marathon called for the end of the “slow death” policy of besieging the small Palestinian enclave, while demanding that Gazans be allowed to travel for medical treatment and freedom of movement that can only be realized if the Israeli-imposed siege is abolished.

The near decade-long Israeli blockade has plunged the Gaza Strip’s more than 1.8 million Palestinians into poverty.

The destruction from three Israeli offensives over the past six years and slow reconstruction due to the blockade led the UN in September to warn that Gaza could be “uninhabitable” by 2020.